Brunch on a Boat! Grand Banks, NYC
WanderingSnow is a storytelling-based lifestyle blog based in New York City run by Ellie Z. The name is derived from a combination of her interest in wandering discoveries through travel and food with her Chinese name Xue, which means snow.
Resident of New York City, Southern girl at heart, and Chinese roots in origin, this is a glimpse of her journey through the turns and corner of her late 20s onward!
As I get older, road trips have become dearer. If you share my love for road trip America, don't miss this ultimate Louisiana road trip from New Orleans! With road trip maps in hand, experience the state's many offerings. It's among the best road trips in the USA, so add it to your list of must-dos for a memorable New Orleans road trip or Louisiana road trip!
Lafayette and Beaux Bridge, Louisiana are rich in culture, history, and nature, hence so easy to immerse yourself in all its offerings! Whether it’s tasting the local boudin sausage from Billy’s Boudin or the brunch with live zydeco music at historical downtown Beaux Bridge, or exploring murals and boutique shops in downtown Lafayette, or learning about the Arcadian culture at Vermilionville, the region is full of wide range of offerings!
NOLA is for sure one of my top recommended places to visit in the US! From the New Orleans French Quarter where in addition to the unique architecture and great food has some of the best live music to Magazine Street for shopping and cafe exploring to the swamp tours and plantations near the city. You will never run out of stuff to do in New Orleans. Here’s your ultimate 4 day New Orleans Itinery
All centrally located in the prime historical center of Toulouse, these three restaurants range from traditional Toulouse steakhouse, to brasserie, to French Asia fusion. You can try the typical southwest France classic dish of cassoulet, duck confit, and so much more! And not to mention a stone throw steps away from gorgeous views of the Garonne River!
Having the reputation for one of the most unique and visited tourist destinations, the Paris catacombs are often impossible to get tickets for. The way the catacombs came about is absolutely fascinating! According to our Paris Catacombs tour, the catacombs began its initial construction in the 1770s as a result of limited cemetery space due to the increase in population of Paris.
The largest concentration of flea markets in the world, The Puces de Saint Ouen in Paris receives more than 5 million visitors each year! It’s only open on Saturday, Sunday, and Mondays and the fifth most visited tourist destination in France! Some markets focus on vintage paintings, some on French vintage furniture, and others on clothes and collectibles.
Housed in the mansion Hotel Biron, a gorgeous villa in the middle of Paris, with neatly maintained geometric French gardens, the Musée Rodin features many of Auguste Rodin’s famous pieces indoor and outdoors, including Gates of Hell, The Thinker, The Three Shades, The Kiss, and The Lovers' Hands.
As part of the Kowloon City Hong Kong food tour, we stopped by Chiu Chow Hop Shing Dessert （合成糖水） after finishing an incredible lunch of halal food at Islam Food. Another local classic, Chiu Chow Hop Shing is a traditional dessert shop that still sits in its original location opened in 1955. Featuring Teochew cuisine from Guangdong Province, the shop features 90 Chinese dessert soups.
Living up to its hype, Islam Food 清真牛肉馆 is a family-style Halal restaurant in the Kowloon City neighborhood of Hong Kong and my favorite place to get Pan Fried Beef Buns! The Halal restaurant can be considered as a local Hong Kong institution, especially due to its location in the historically infamous Kowloon Walled City, which was a walled-up slum that was demolished in 1994.
Causeway Bay Restaurants are dime and dozen - pretty much every corner you turn. BUT discovering the BEST restaurant in this bustling neighborhood may be challenging, especially if it's one that specializes in panfried buns. But no fear! I am here to tell you where you can find the best panfried buns and in general, the best Chinese food in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong!
While it is a bit out of the way from Central, the Mills in Tsuen Wan District is definitely one of my favorite spots to spend an afternoon in Hong Kong. Compared to its peers such as PMQ and Tai Kwun in Central, The Mills provides a more inclusive and locally Hong Kong oriented experience. And not to mention my favorite store Mille-Feuille features cute and hilarious Hong Kong themed stationery
Nestled in between Tsing Yi and Lantau Island, Ma Wan is mostly residential with few remnants of fishing villages from the past. A few highlights and things to do on Ma Wan, which can be reached through Ferry at Central Pier or bus, include the beautiful Ma Wan Park with flower tunnels and an archeological site of Neolithic human remnants, Ma Wan Beach, and Ma Wan Village. While it is not the most neighborhood compared to many others in Hong Kong, it is not a bad spot for a casual walk and wander.
Nina Hotel Island South in Aberdeen offers great value for the amount you pay because the rooms are generally larger than others and the meals are decent! Because there was no room service during our entire stay we were provided with cleaning supplies and fresh sheets and towels. As it is required by the Hong Kong Government, we had to book our quarantine hotels prior to leaving for our trip to...
5 kilometers northwest of Le Puy en Velay in the Auvergne Region of France, this 1,000 year old fortress built on top of ancient volcanic rocks is home to a few figures that played quite an interesting role in French history. Hence, in addition to A Day Trip to La Chaise-Dieu and Chavaniac-Laffayette be sure to also visit the Forteresse de Polignac!
While staying in the UNESCO town of Le Puy en Velay, I had the liberty to take a few day trips within a 40-minute drive of this beautiful destination located in the Auvergne Region of France. La Chaise-Dieu, an abbey church founded in 1043 and Chateau Chavaniac, the birthplace and childhood home of American Revolutionary War hero, the Marquis de Lafayette.
Opera Garnier, Palais Garnier, and Paris Opera House, among its many names is an absolute must-see when in Paris! From its grand staircase to the grand foyer, which to me, looks like a mix of Sistine Chapel and the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, is absolutely breathtaking. Although I have been to Paris 6+ times at this point, I have somehow never been inside Opera Garnier until this time around.
Bordeaux restaurant scene is definitely a haven for foodies like myself! That's obviously not shocking considering its fame for being the wine region. From bistros to traditional french cuisine, here are my recommendations for best restaurants and must-try foods, like cannelés for Bordeaux, France!
Your ultimate travel guide for Bordeaux France. Only a 3 hour train ride on the SNCF from Paris, Bordeaux is definitely a great place for a weekend getaway (or just travel in general)! From magnificent ancient churches like Basilique Saint-Michel to Cathédrale Saint-André to Place de La Bourse, the list of things to do and see is endless!
